Link Centre Dictionary

refuse

re·fuse

UK/ɹiːˈfjuːz/ US/ɹɪˈfjuz/ common
verb (6) noun (1)

verb

1.

show unwillingness towards

  • “he declined to join the group on a hike”
Synonyms
Antonyms
2.

refuse to accept

  • “He refused my offer of hospitality”
Synonyms
Antonyms
3.

elude, especially in a baffling way

  • “This behavior defies explanation”
Synonyms
Antonyms
4.

refuse to let have

  • “She denies me every pleasure”
  • “he denies her her weekly allowance”
Synonyms
Antonyms
5.

resist immunologically the introduction of some foreign tissue or organ

  • “His body rejected the liver of the donor”
Synonyms
6.

refuse entrance or membership

  • “They turned away hundreds of fans”
  • “Black people were often rejected by country clubs”
Synonyms
Antonyms

noun

1.

food that is discarded (as from a kitchen)

Synonyms

Origin

Borrowed into late Middle English from Middle French refusé, past participle of refuser (“to refuse”). Displaced native Middle English wernen (“to refuse”) likely due to the similar sounding Middle English warnen

Phrases

  • offer one can't refuse

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

Narrower terms

Related verbs

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.